Regional Airline New Hires - Average Instrument Time (Resume)

AaronPilot4life

AaronPilot4life

New Member
Hey all JC'ers!

I'm curious what's a ballpark figure for Regional Airline New Hires with respect to amount of Instrument time they have on their resume ? Anybody care to comment ....

Currently I work the Ramp for Continental Airlines and still have a while before I can apply for an FO spot with CoEx (ExpressJet). Currently, I'm around 400 hours total flight time and about 35 hours of that is Actual IMC instrument, not including Simulated instrument time during my IRA training. I can imagine they want to see instrument experience just wonder how much is a solid number.

JetCareers Rocks!
 
as a general rule, 10% of your total time should be instrument "in flight" (not sim) time. hood and actual combined. Sounds like you're on the right track
 
The 10% depends on where you fly. I was instructing in the southwest for 12 months and I probably logged 5 hours of actual in that time, with some of that being night-time over the mountains on an IFR flight plan (ie no clouds, but flight by reference to instruments because of no horizon).

I had 34 hours of actual when I was hired. Obviously, the more you have, the better candidate you are for the job. But I wouldn't stress out over having 10% - maybe if you flew a lot of IFR xcty's in an area prone to bad wx (like the northwest) or if you flew freight.

~wheelsup
 
10% seems like alot to me...

I flew alot in the northeast prior to getting hired and while you may think that it would be great to increase instrument time you'd be suprised. During late fall to early spring you really can't go in actual conditions in a 172 or warrior without worrying about icing.

I think alot of people pad their instrument time, maybe then 10% is feasable.
 
I have 34 hours too. And I only had 1013TT so the 10% is off. But that didn't include simulated instrument time.

My suggestion to all is get your instrument ticket and then fly IFR as much as you can, even on the VMC days. In fact, you should fly IFR on VMC days quite a bit just to get used to it. The biggest thing any employeer is looking for is proficeincy with the IFR system. Plus, if you have a bunch of experience flying IFR on VMC days when you are in the actual muck, getting tossed around and trying to keep the needles centered you will be far more proficient and not likely to be confused with anything or go "What did he say? I don't understand my clearance."

The only other piece of advice i have is to instruct. Teaching this stuff makes you know it real well.

Maybe SkyWChris can add his two cents. He is an interviewer. Chris?
 
I have 450TT now and only have about 3 hours of actual instrument. Living in Colorado we either have icing or thunderstorms, so actual is hard to get. I do have about 80 hours of filed instrument X-C time though. I was fortunate enough to get 4 instrument students right off the bat.

Some regionals require instrument time, while others don't. I think Mesaba and Skywest require 100 hours of instrument where 10% or so can be simulator. Regionals however, seem to be able to wave mins when the resume is walked in by the right person.

-Dave
 
"Regionals however, seem to be able to wave mins when the resume is walked in by the right person."


Not just regionals.....See Nepotism, Internship etc.
 
Baronman said:
"Regionals however, seem to be able to wave mins when the resume is walked in by the right person."


Not just regionals.....See Nepotism, Internship etc.
Click to expand...


Just to dispell some rumor here. I can't speak for other regionals but at SkyWest you have to be qualified to get in to the interview. Now who gets called to the interview is another question. Like all businesses seem to do, hiring from within for positions or hiring from a pool of people that are deemed "ok" by the employees is really important. With the airline life, if you work with some you can't stand to be on a four-day trip with the hiring dept most likely made a mistake. People come in all sorts of sizes, shapes and attitudes but those who make the best employees are the ones who can get along well and play with others. So I don't see the practice of hiring those who are recommended by employees are favoritism.
 
I got hired at Piedmont with 1150TT/ 160 multi/ 45 hours actual instrument. The instrument time was not a requirement for the job at Piedmont, but it was at ExpressJet, another airline I wanted a job at. Now I am glad I didnt get an interview at ExpressJet.
 
Hey Everybody!

Thanks for the responses! Variety of good answers from various JC'ers :) I live in NorthWest Indiana close to Chicago and the Winters get pretty nasty here so might not get much IFR flying done this season. Does anybody happen to know if ExpressJet has a minimum instrument time requirement and the number? TheFlyingTurkey commented briefly on the issue just curious if maybe it's 100 hours of instrument time?

Like you guys pointed out, alot depends on where you live and where you fly ... actual IMC can be hard to find. On the other hand, The Midwest offers plenty of four seasons to experience this but it's your BUTT if you get into a bad situation but then again that's anywhere. When I was stationed in Hawaii, it was nearly impossible to find actual instrument.

Also does anybody in here have any Beech Baron 58 or Piper Chieftain flight experience? The FBO I'm with utilizes those a/c for their Part 135 operation. Just looking for general comments on a/c, personal experiences or anything really on a/c .. Thanks!
 
AaronPilot4life said:
Also does anybody in here have any Beech Baron 58 or Piper Chieftain flight experience? The FBO I'm with utilizes those a/c for their Part 135 operation. Just looking for general comments on a/c, personal experiences or anything really on a/c .. Thanks!
Click to expand...

I've flown both those a/c, with about 50hrs in the Baron 58. But, I don't know that I can say anything about that a/c other than it is not a good a/c to do any PF/PNF work in. There are almost no controls on the right side, no PTT, no gauges, no instruments, etc. It's a tough plane to split up the work in.
 
Ophir said:
I've flown both those a/c, with about 50hrs in the Baron 58. But, I don't know that I can say anything about that a/c other than it is not a good a/c to do any PF/PNF work in. There are almost no controls on the right side, no PTT, no gauges, no instruments, etc. It's a tough plane to split up the work in.
Click to expand...
The older model years, maybe, but the later years went to the standard yoke configuration rather than the old throw-over style.

1991 Baron 58:

panel-2.jpg
 
launchpad said:
hood and actual combined.
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It seems people didn't read my post right......if you combine your hood time and actual instrument time, most of you would be close to 10% of your total time.....unless you fly a cub only on the weekends.....then I just envy you...
 
AaronPilot4life said:
Hey Everybody!

Also does anybody in here have any Beech Baron 58 or Piper Chieftain flight experience? The FBO I'm with utilizes those a/c for their Part 135 operation. Just looking for general comments on a/c, personal experiences or anything really on a/c .. Thanks!
Click to expand...

I've got about 1000 hours in Baron 55's and 58's...all night freight flying in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois. To me, it was both the Cadillac and Mack truck of light twins. It flew great and took severe punishment dutifully. In all but severe icing conditions it did splendidly...and that was important flying in those regions...because icing was a nightly occurrence...and in a light twin you are stuck slogging thru the stuff.

I flew the Cheiftain, Aerostar and 310. I'd take the Baron hands down. It has my complete respect.
 
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